According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Top Rank has signed Honduran Olympian Teofimo Lopez.
Lopez will make his professional debut in a four-round bout against an opponent to be determined on the Manny Pacquiao-Jessie Vargas undercard on Nov. 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
“He’s one of my homies,” Arum joked, because they are both originally from Brooklyn. “I think this kid is a real talent. The [matchmakers] are really high on him. He’s a real strong kid and has a really big future as a professional. He can fight. He’s a good fighter. If he wasn’t we wouldn’t have signed him, but it’s a shame he wasn’t part of the U.S. Olympic team. There’s amateur boxing politics.”
“I’ve sparred with a lot of pros,” Lopez said. “Sometimes they would invite me to go to their training camps, sometimes they were here in my area [in Florida]. I’ve been in training camp with Shawn Porter at the time he was fighting Keith Thurman, and Brad Solomon, helping them get ready for their fights, and they were both 20 pounds bigger than me.
“I also sparred with Guillermo Rigondeaux and Luke Campbell, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist. I’ve sparred with many, many, many professionals since I was 13 years old. I’m an entertainer — got to entertain! My style — I’m technical, very technical. I’m very smart when I’m in the ring, like Albert Einstein. I’m like a Sugar Ray [Leonard], Floyd Mayweather. I’m a boxer, but if the knockout comes, it comes.”
Arum said he might not be done yet signing 2016 Olympians.
“We may do a deal with one or two others but we’re not actively looking,” Arum said.
